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Philosophy of Religion

Philosophy of religion is an attempt by both scientist to respond to questions about the existence of God, how he looks like and what that means to human life. In fact, everybody or almost every person at one time in life has had such questions. Philosophy of religion therefore helps humans to reach their views on such questions. For millennia now, of course, the existence of God has been a subject of hot debate among humans. However, that does not mean no steps forward has been made. In fact, many classic arguments about the existence of God have been discarded, others have been improved and yet more arguments are been raised each day. The responds to the question concerning the existence of God cannot be written off as futile simply because it is an old debate. The argument on the existence of God has got diverse approaches.

Pascal’s Wager Argument

According to Pascal’s Wager argument, the existence of God is founded on an appeal to self-interest rather than an appeal to evidence. This argument suggests that it is a personal interest to believe in God. Therefore, it is rational for someone to believe in God. The argument is supported by the potential consequences of unbelief and belief. The argument states that if people believe in the existence of God, they will be granted eternal reward in heaven but if people defile the existence of God, they have nothing to loss or little if any. However, if people defile the existence of God and it happens that God really exists, they will receive eternal punishment in hell or gain nothing or little. Receiving eternal punishment in hell or eternal reward in heaven is therefore individual interest that is so rational to make one believe or defile the existence of God.

The Ontological Approach

The ontological approach is among the various attempts to prove the existence of God. This argument or approach is based only on abstract reasoning. The approach begins with a clarification of God’s concept. For instance, this argument defines God as a perfect being. This implies that, if God is a perfect being, the existence of God is real. Therefore, when people speak about God, they talk of a being that exists. Thus to say that the existence of God is not real, then people would be contradicting themselves; and if so then this will be literally to talk nonsense.